1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to stemware, specifically to an illuminated stemmed drinking glass such as a wine or champagne glass.
2. Description of Prior Art
Several inventions have utilized electrical incandescent means to provide illumination for a lighted beverage glass. Evidence of this is disclosed in U.S. Patents: Stott U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,113; Douglas U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,386; Ditto et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,113; Dietz et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,355; Weller U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,435; Makowsky U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,279; Tipton U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,699. Problems of cost, difficulty of washing for reuse, and the need for battery replacement are probably reasons for their unpopularity.
Chemiluminescent light sticks made by American Cyanamid Company, Wayne, N.J. and under the trademark CYALUME provide an alternate means of illumination. We see this utilized by Newcomb et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,726. Chemical light sticks consist of a flexible tube sealed at both ends, and housing two isolated chemicals, one of which is inside its own glass vial. Upon bending the flexible tube, the glass vial contained inside is broken thereby mixing and activating both chemicals to create cold light.
A problem arises when occasionally the light stick mentioned is bent and fractured to a point of leakage. Although the chemicals are non-toxic they are contaminated with small particals of glass in their activated state. This can present a safety hazard particularly in designs that house a light stick in the actual drinking cup of a drinking vessel. In designs just mentioned, the vertical hollow tube used to house a light stick inside the cup may fail in its sealing capability, and actual liquid to be consumed can become contaminated.
Another problem involving stemware arises in cleaning. Certain stemware requires expensive custom washing racks used with dishwasher machines, particularly glasses with longer stems. The problem is solved by the cup portion of said stemware being detachable from its stem and base portion thereby reducing the overall height.